2013-08-28
Education Staff Cuts
Ms LAWRIE to MINISTER for EDUCATION
You are sacking teachers and have confirmed it, despite your promise to not sack any frontline workers. Your priorities are all wrong. You cannot improve education by cutting teachers, removing subjects and reducing the vital one-on-one time students have with their teachers. Parents understand the education outcome - their child cannot improve - if teachers are cut from our schools. Parents do not believe you. Why are you trying to convince parents in the Territory that fewer teachers is a good thing?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Karama for her question. It is proof again that the Opposition Leader fails to listen because the same questions were asked yesterday, and I will give the same answers today. This is probably why the opposition is in opposition. They failed to listen and we have proof of that.
We have 1871 teachers in government schools throughout the Northern Territory. With the application of the new teacher staffing formula we will have 1836. That is around 35 fewer teachers than we had last year.
The opposition failed to mention we are putting 64 additional teachers into the primary sector, an area the experts are telling us we should be focusing on. Two-thirds of our schools in the Northern Territory are primary schools and two-thirds of our students are of primary school age. We are supporting the majority of schools in the Northern Territory and putting the resources into the areas where the experts, not the former Labor government, advise us to.
This all comes down to several facts. Sometimes it is not always about money. One thing the former Labor government cannot be proud of is the academic achievements of many of our students in the Northern Territory. It is time to challenge convention. We can argue that what we have in the Northern Territory, and the former policies we had in place, have taken us to where we are today. If we want to see improvements we need to challenge convention and do things a little differently. That is why I have called for an Indigenous education review. There has not been one since 2009.
When we go to Canberra asking for funds, whether it is for infrastructure or supporting education, we know why we are asking for the money and where to better place it ...
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. You are sacking teachers from bush schools where there are Indigenous students, and from urban schools where there are Indigenous students.
Madam SPEAKER: There is no point of order. Minister, you have the call.
Mr CHANDLER: Madam Speaker, the nub of this comes down to resources and the poor fiscal position we were left in by the failed former Treasurer. If Territorians have any concerns with some of the savings initiatives put in place by this government, they should be focusing their anger at the former government which put us in this fiscal position. That is where the anger should be. We are doing the best we can with the resources available and the position we were left in by the former Labor government in the Northern Territory.
This former government - the Opposition Leader and the opposition - wants us to sign up to the Gonski model of education. They want us to give less control to the Education department in the Northern Territory and hand it all over to Canberra ...
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired.
Transport Infrastructure Improvements
Mrs PRICE to MINISTER for TRANSPORT
Transport infrastructure is vital in the Territory, despite the federal Labor government playing political games. Can you explain to the House why federal Labor cannot be trusted, and outline the commitment of the Country Liberals government to improved transport infrastructure in the Territory?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Stuart for her question. I pass on my thoughts to the member for Sanderson who is in hospital recovering from an operation. I wish him all the best, as does everyone on this side of the Chamber.
I hope you are feeling better today, Madam Speaker.
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you, Chief Minister.
Mr GILES: Member for Stuart, people will see that work on Tiger Brennan Drive has already started between Dinah Beach Road and Woolner Road - a fully funded Northern Territory government commitment. They will also be able to see the work that has not started between Woolner Road and Berrimah Road. That project will see assistance for commuters travelling from Palmerston and the Litchfield area - for the president of the shire, Allan McKay.
However, the Tiger Brennan Drive duplication from Woolner Road to Berrimah Road will not happen straightaway if federal Labor gets in. In the lead-up to the 2012 election, federal minister Anthony Albanese promised this would start straightaway, trying to help Territory Labor. Unfortunately, they lost the election and Anthony Albanese reneged on his words. They pledged it would begin in 2013 and it did not. To our surprise, in the federal budget in May it was pushed to the out years of 2016-17.
Fortunately, as my colleagues on this side would know, we have a hard-working member for Solomon, Natasha Griggs, who has fought hard with the Coalition to ensure the money comes on earlier. Last week, Julie Bishop was here with Natasha Griggs and me, and she made a commitment that the funding would be available for Woolner Road to Berrimah Road starting this financial year. If a Coalition government is in, funding will start from this financial year. The Labor candidate for the seat of Solomon has been peddling lies and hysteria saying the Territory government never submitted an application ...
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! He is accusing someone of peddling lies.
Madam SPEAKER: Sit down, there is no point of order.
Mr GILES: Thank you, Madam Speaker. The Labor candidate for Solomon has been peddling lies and hysteria. I can show you an e-mail dated 3 July 2013 at 8.20 am. This was sent to Canberra to submit our application. I table a copy of our application for the Tiger Brennan Drive extension between Woolner Road and Berrimah Road which has been sent to Canberra. All we are waiting for is the money for the project.
Fortunately, Tony Abbott, Natasha Griggs, Julie Bishop, Warren Truss and all our Coalition colleagues support the Territory, not like the people over there. Anthony Albanese promised you during the 2012 election campaign - they are not delivering. Luke Gosling is peddling lies and hysteria. There is our application, it has gone to Canberra, we will deliver it, and only a Coalition can make it happen.
Education – Special Needs Funding Cuts
Mr GUNNER to MINISTER for EDUCATION
Madam Speaker, I seek leave to table an answer to question on notice no 7.7 from the Estimates Committee hearings which confirms the CLP is slashing funding to students with special needs.
Leave granted.
Mr GUNNER: The document says this funding is provided to schools to purchase specialist equipment and to run programs for disabled students. You are slashing it by $280 000. This is mean. Your priorities are wrong. Will you reverse your cuts for students with special needs?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, this government has had to make quite a few savings initiatives across the board. It comes down to the fiscal position this government was left in.
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. You found $300 000 for a golf club yet have taken $280 000 out of special needs.
Madam SPEAKER: There is no point of order. Be seated. Minister, you have the call.
Mr CHANDLER: Again, this comes down to the nub of resources. What the mob over there fails to recognise is the fiscal position the government was left with coming into office. They also want us to sign up to the Gonski model. This puts it all into context. They believe our savings measures will lead to tragic things. The unions are saying we are closing schools ...
Mr GUNNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. The question was not about Gonski. It was: why are you cutting funding to students with special needs?
Madam SPEAKER: The minister has the call. He can answer the question and has three minutes to do so.
Mr CHANDLER: Madam Speaker, if we were to listen to the opposition and sign up to the Gonski model, in 2014 Adelaide River School would lose $269 000, Alawa Primary School would lose $1m …
Mr GUNNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. It was not about Adelaide River School or Gonski. It is about why you are cutting funding for students with special needs.
Mr CHANDLER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! This is relevant because it is about resources.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Fannie Bay, as I said before, the minister has three minutes to answer the question any way he sees fit.
Minister, you have the call. There is no point of order.
Mr CHANDLER: I get back to resources. I have a list of schools that would lose money if we signed up to Gonski. Imagine how much we would have to cut from special needs if we signed up to that model. You should be …
Mr GUNNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. At no stage in my question did I mention Gonski. My question was about the $280 000 that has been cut from funds for students with special needs. Will he reverse that cut?
Madam SPEAKER: As I said, member for Fannie Bay, the minister has the call and three minutes to answer the question.
Minister, you have the call.
Mr CHANDLER: They do not want to listen to the truth, Madam Speaker.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Nhulunbuy, cease interjecting!
Palmerston Hospital
Ms FINOCCHIARO to MINISTER for HEALTH
Last Friday, the Country Liberals government announced the new site for Palmerston hospital. Can you outline the benefits to Territorians of this important project and identify how our plans differ from Labor’s?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the difference between the Country Liberal government and the former Labor government is they did nothing for 11 years. For 11 years they talked about it and accumulated a pile of reports. Did they do anything? No, they did not. The rhetoric is hypocritical.
On Friday afternoon, the Chief Minister and I, with the leader of the federal opposition, Tony Abbott, and the member for Solomon, Natasha Griggs, made an important announcement about a new site for the Palmerston and district hospital, yet to be named conclusively because we know from the input of Gerry Wood it is in Litchfield. That is a contentious issue we will shelve for the time being.
The good news on Friday was that our site is 15 times the size of the one identified by the former Labor government. This means the hospital can expand infinitely into the future, whereas the former site identified by the narrow-minded former Labor government was too small. It was not even the same size as Royal Darwin Hospital.
We are proud of the new site. We have already had phenomenal feedback from people across the greater Darwin area telling us it is a particularly good site. It has frontage to the highway and there will be no traffic congestion. On top of that, we have allocated, with the federal Coalition, $150m to go to stage one of development of the new hospital.
The headworks for development of the new Palmerston and district hospital will start within 12 months; we are not delaying. There is no reason to put this off any longer than we have to. The allegations from Labor that we are dragging the chain and it will not happen – the lies and propaganda peddled by the Labor candidate for Solomon are nonsense. We want to get on with it.
We have committed the money and are very excited about it. It will have an emergency department, a paediatric unit, elective surgery and a great deal more once our scoping study is completed.
The good news from this side of the camp is we are getting on with governing. We will not spend 11 years talking about it. Labor cannot be trusted. Leave it to the action-orientated people, the Country Liberals federal Coalition.
Education Staff Cuts
Ms LAWRIE to MINISTER for EDUCATION
You have made it clear that principals have to make tough decisions about what subjects are cut and which teachers are sacked. This is a terrible burden for principals. At Casuarina Senior College, which will lose five teachers for the 2014 year, students have already been asked to make subject selections for next year. This is much earlier than usual, so the principal can be informed on which subjects to cut and which teachers to sack. As a student said to me, ‘What type of government gets students to choose who will be sacked?’
Why are you removing critical teachers and limiting subject choices in our senior colleges across the Territory?
ANSWER
This all comes back to resources; it all comes back to the choices governments have to make. Perhaps the student could have asked a better question: what sensible government would put itself into debt so much that future governments have to make tough decisions and live within their means?
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. Actual debt was $1.6bn when they came to government. Understand you have the wrong priorities.
Madam SPEAKER: Please be seated, there is no point of order.
Mr CHANDLER: We were heading towards a debt where our interest payments alone were approaching $1m per day. Imagine if I could go to that school tomorrow with a $1m cheque.
Ms FYLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. Can the minister tell us why he is removing teachers from our schools?
Mr CHANDLER: It comes down to resources and budgeting. I went through this yesterday. No Cabinet member was sitting in Cabinet the day the full fiscal position was explained to us. We have to do better with slightly less, and we can do that. We have some smart people out there. I want to see principals with the autonomy to make decisions, principals working together with their school councils having the power to decide their priorities in the school. They should not be my priorities; they should be the principals’ and the school councils’ priorities …
Ms FYLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevant. The priority is why is he removing teachers from our schools? Answer the question!
Mr GILES: Speaking to the point of order, Madam Speaker. Our government is putting more money into education this year than Labor put in last year. Clearly, there is no point of order.
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, you have the call.
Mr CHANDLER: The Northern Territory government puts in approximately $15 700 per student across the Northern Territory. By comparison, other states put in around $9700. The Northern Territory government is putting approximately one third more per student into education.
They want to talk about cuts and what we may be doing in education. If we signed up to Gonski - can you imagine if I had to go to Alawa Primary School and say, ‘You will lose $1 256 000 …
Ms FYLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. The Leader of the Opposition did not mention Gonski. We are asking the minister why he is cutting teachers.
Madam SPEAKER: There is no point of order, member for Nightcliff.
Mr CHANDLER: Why are they afraid to talk about Gonski? Because the emperor has no clothes, that is why.
Mr GUNNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113. The question is not about Gonski and what might happen; it is about cutting teachers, which is happening. Why are you cutting teachers in our senior schools?
Mr CHANDLER: This comes down to resources, and if you can imagine for one moment, with the fiscal resources we have, the savings measures we had to look at, imagine if we signed up to Gonski. Imagine what Alawa Primary School would do with $1.2m less. Imagine the cuts government would have to make if we signed up to this miracle Gonski program. I could go through the list - Darwin High School would lose a further $2.136m if we signed up to your miracle scheme. It is ridiculous. They want to give control to Canberra, away from Territorians, and to cut more money from Territory education, and they are sprouting like they have a miracle cure. You guys put us in this fiscal position. If Territorians are angry, they are angry at you.
Tourism Vision 2020
Ms LEE to MINISTER for TOURISM and MAJOR EVENTS
What benefits will flow to the Territory economy and businesses from the draft Tourism Vision 2020, Northern Territory strategies for growth? Can you explain why it is so important to continue increasing growth and activity in this important part of the Territory’s economy?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Arnhem for her important question. The Northern Territory has such an iconic landscape, a rich cultural heritage and, of course, our award winning tourism experiences. Despite this, we still fail to compete with other jurisdictions as a preferred destination. Visitation …
Mr GUNNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 68: anticipation of subject. We are having a debate on this today.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Fannie Bay, ministerial statements, and what they may contain, are not on the Notice Paper. Minister, you have the call. There is no point of order.
Mr CONLAN: Thank you very much. Visitation has declined since 2000. Sadly, and reprehensibly, Labor ignored the signs and continued with a business-as-usual approach with regard to our tourism industry and to deliver growth.
We require significant change and a significant effort to revitalise this sector, and that is precisely what we have done with Tourism Vision 2020. The vision sets out a visitor economy to grow in the Northern Territory by 2020 to $2.2bn, in fact over $2.2bn, equating to an additional 400 000 visitors to the Northern Territory.
The target is realistic, challenging, but achievable. Much work needs to be done with the aviation industry, the hotel industry, and the business sector to achieve this. Work has already begun with these sectors in earnest. However, lurking just around the corner attempting to derail this tourism industry and the sector is Labor’s carbon tax. Tourism Accommodation Australia reported hotel profits have dropped as a result of Labor’s carbon tax. Virgin Australia CEO, John Borghetti, singled out the carbon tax as the major reason for a slump in earnings and said he wants to see it abolished.
You cannot have a thriving hospitality and tourism sector without a profitable aviation and hotel accommodation sector. That is exactly what Tony Abbott has stated in his plan, Real Solutions for all Australians. He will abolish the carbon tax and assist the tourism and hospitality sector. A thriving visitor economy is critical to the economy of the Northern Territory. Tourism contributes directly to about 4.3% of the NT’s gross state product, already to the tune of about $1.4bn.
It is vital we assist this industry and will do so. I urge Tony Abbott to continue with his pledge to abolish the carbon tax. He said he would oppose it in opposition and repeal it in government. That is good news for the tourism industry.
Education Staff Cuts
Ms LAWRIE to MINISTER for EDUCATION
Before the election the then Leader of the Country Liberals, Terry Mills, wrote to Northern Territory public servants. In it he complained about Labor debt and said he would be cutting jobs post-election, particularly cutting political spin doctors. He said in his letter:
- I promise you your job is safe. If your base salary is $110 000 or less I promise you your job is safe. And if you are on the front line of police, education or health, regardless of how much you earn, I promise you your job is safe. I guarantee it.
Why did you mislead Territorians and sack teachers after the election?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, there is a really quick answer to this: there will be no sackings. The attrition rate in the Northern Territory every year is higher than the numbers of teachers to be reduced. We are looking at a 35 teacher nett loss. Not one person will be sacked. The attrition rate in the Northern Territory far exceeds the 35 teachers ...
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113. Teachers are literally losing their jobs; they are being sacked. Five from Casuarina, five from Darwin …
Madam SPEAKER: Opposition Leader, it is not a point of order. Minister, you have the call.
Mr CHANDLER: That is not true. If you stopped listening to your union mates and the lies being peddled by the federal government at the moment – you are talking about dollars again, wanting us to sign up to Canberra control and have autonomy taken away from our principals. Principals want autonomy to manage their schools. They want to work with their school council and decide what is right for their school. There is no one-size-fits-all ...
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. I quoted directly from Terry Mills saying, ‘I promise you your job is safe. I guarantee it.’ ‘If you are in education on the front line …’ Teachers are front line. You admitted you are getting rid of 35 teachers from our schools; they are being ...
Madam SPEAKER: Opposition Leader, be seated. It is not a point of order.
Mr CHANDLER: Madam Speaker, no wonder the Territory was in a bad fiscal position if the former Treasurer cannot understand this. If there is an attrition rate of more than 35 teachers a year in the Northern Territory, and we are reducing the nett value of teachers by 35, no one will be sacked.
I heard them put the spin out the other day that, all of a sudden, a high school teacher cannot become a middle school teacher, or a primary school teacher cannot become a middle school teacher. What happened when you guys reformed education in the Northern Territory and applied the middle years program? We did not have any specialist-trained middle school teachers. You had to draw people from primary schools into middle schools. You had to take people from high schools to middle schools. That is what you did, and you are saying we cannot do that? Is that what you are saying? You have no idea. This is about reforming education and repairing the damage of 11 years in the Northern Territory where education went backwards. We can bring it forward. We can challenge convention and make a real difference ...
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. Why did you mislead Territorians when you said you guaranteed teachers jobs, yet 35 are being sacked from our schools?
Madam SPEAKER: It is not a point of order. Please be seated.
Mr TOLLNER: Madam Speaker …
Madam SPEAKER: What is your standing order, member for Fong Lim?
Mr TOLLNER: The Opposition Leader accused the minister of misleading the House. It was an unparliamentary comment.
Madam SPEAKER: Sit down.
Ms Lawrie interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Karama, you are on a warning!
Borroloola Clinic Upgrade
Mr WOOD to MINISTER for HEALTH
Anyone visiting the Borroloola region during the Dry Season would notice a large influx of grey nomads, many of them heading to King Ash Bay to do some fishing or driving along the Savannah Way to Darwin. I spoke to some on my recent trip in the area and know many older people rely on local facilities for their medical needs. From what I have heard locally, this puts a strain on health facilities in Borroloola. Are there plans to upgrade facilities such as the medical clinic to cope with increasing visitor numbers and the growing population of Borroloola? What happened to the $800 000 set aside for the clinic in the 2012-13 budget?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nelson for his question. The population of Borroloola does swell during the Dry Season. We believe an extra 400 people will move to the Borroloola region as a result of tourism and the ebb and flow of residents from that area. There are between 2000 and 2500 people living in the Roper Gulf Shire and we believe the Borroloola clinic copes adequately with those numbers. They have four full-time positions. We recognise the clinic infrastructure has been neglected somewhat. It has not been extended at the rate it should have been to cater for the increased demand, particularly during the different ebbs and flows of the population.
Repairs and maintenance expenditure in 2012-13 was $145 000 for urgent minor repairs, and $47 000 for cyclical maintenance. The electrical switchboard is being replaced at a cost of around $120 000. Urgent repairs and maintenance work commenced in May 2013 and will be completed by September 2013. There is $500 000 in the 2013-14 repairs and maintenance budget to refurbish the whole clinic.
Borroloola is a remote clinic. We have 56 remote health centres throughout the Northern Territory, and we have a direct funding relationship with another 18. Borroloola is very remote, and the pressure on that service is considerable when there is an influx of people to that area. Trying to meet the demands of chronic disease and the general poor health status of people in that area is a battle in itself. On top of that, we have the urgent emergency needs of tourists who come into the area.
It is a challenge, we are aware of it, and thanks, member for Nelson, for alerting us to this problem. I will be seeking more information. I intend to visit Borroloola as soon as next week to get a picture of what is happening.
Social and Economic Outcomes
Mr HIGGINS to MINISTER for REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Many social initiatives have taken place in regional and remote areas of the Territory over the last 25 years. However, the Territory still has few outcomes in social and economic areas. Can you advise the House why there have been such failures over the last 25 years?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Daly for his question. There have been 25 years of hell. We had 11 years of absolute hell under Labor, and 25 years under Warren Snowdon. All the land mass we have is just to die on with no economic opportunities.
This government is building an economic future to move Territorians forward – for regional and remote people to ensure we are economically and socially involved in the Territory’s future. Twenty five years of promises!
You could not even get, under Warren Snowdon, houses at GanGan. Remember that, Chief Minister? At GanGan they told us the member for Nhulunbuy and Warren Snowdon never built houses for teachers. They want teachers to live at GanGan and teach their children. You have done nothing for 11 years.
Ms WALKER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Relevance: 113. The minister and the Chief Minister stood at a Labor-funded training centre which provides accommodation for teachers.
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, you have the call.
Ms ANDERSON: Thank you, Madam Speaker. Eleven years and the member for Nhulunbuy did nothing. For 25 years the member for Lingiari, Warren Snowdon, the man with the hat and moustache, did nothing.
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113. Warren Snowdon - $41.5m to remote health clinics this year alone.
Madam SPEAKER: It is not a point of order. Minister, you have the call.
Ms ANDERSON: All the promises he made to remote Aboriginal – ‘We will put more dialysis machines out there for you’. What about nurses’ houses? What about the nurse positions? Nothing!
Ms WALKER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. The minister has been asked a dorothy dixer about economic opportunities by her own side. Could you ask her to come back to the point of the question?
Madam SPEAKER: Minister you have the call. You have three minutes to answer.
Ms ANDERSON: Madam Speaker, in three minutes I will wrap up what the Country Liberal Party did in its first year. We are doing tremendous things in social engagement and economic opportunities for all Territorians. We are not a government that separates people into black Territorians and white Territorians. We understand the Territory is a multicultural jurisdiction. We are working for all Territorians to ensure we move them forward economically. We are listening, through our local government reforms, to the remote bush to ensure their voices are heard, unlike the member for Nhulunbuy who cannot even build a teacher’s house in GanGan. It took the Chief Minister and this minister to listen to the plea of the people at GanGan because their local member could not.
Twenty-five years of the man with the moustache and the hat. All the promises he makes to Indigenous people in remote Aboriginal communities, ‘Yes, we will give you renal dialysis machines’. Where are the houses for nurses? Nothing! All the promises for 25 years and guess what? We are still dying. We have no economic opportunities on our lands - nothing whatsoever. That is why you were put there a year ago. I hope, next Saturday, Warren Snowdon is put away forever.
Education Staff - Remote Schools
Ms WALKER to MINISTER for EDUCATION
Your cuts to education are hurting bush communities. You are cutting teachers in our biggest bush schools, with Maningrida going from 26 teachers to 22. In our smaller schools – Nyirripi should be staffed by four teachers but this term it only has one. How can one teacher, when there are meant to be four, help us give kids in the bush the education opportunities they so desperately need and deserve? Will you reverse your cuts to ensure Maningrida, Nyirripi and other bush schools have their full complement of teachers, and will your spineless bush colleagues speak or will they maintain their silence on these shameful cuts?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, it is interesting that, again, the opposition talks about how we are managing education. I said yesterday in this House that in the first 12 months of the Country Liberals government more money was put into education than by any previous government.
It is interesting that the savings measures we put in place do not go outside an agreement made between the unions and your government. It was an agreement with the unions that the time in front of classrooms - there were many interesting bits of information in that document, but none of the cost-saving measures we are looking at go against the agreement you made with the union and teachers. Nothing in that document goes against the agreement.
I was reading a document recently from the member for Karama, Delia Lawrie, saying Karama Primary School would lose …
Ms FYLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. It is not about the member for Karama. Will he reverse his decision to sack bush teachers?
Madam SPEAKER: The minister has three minutes to answer. Minister, you have the call.
Mr CHANDLER: Madam Speaker, I will keep this short. It is time to put up or shut up. Show one dismissal letter.
Education Staff Cuts – Information and Communications Technology
Ms FYLES to MINISTER for EDCUATION
Information and communications technology, or ICT as it is commonly known, is a critical subject for our next generation. ICT for learning provides critical support to teachers in the field. In May, the ICT learning unit was down from 24 staff to seven. It now no longer exists. It was located in my electorate at Nightcliff Middle School. Why are you making cuts to ICT education and how will teachers keep pace with ICT learning requirements if you have cut the unit?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, that is a really interesting question because I was there recently looking at some amazing technology - 3D printers - in the ICT Learning Centre.
The ICT Learning Centre is moving, not closing. If the member would like a briefing on what is happening with ICT, contact my office.
I have seen some amazing people there, some amazing technology, and it has nothing to do with closing ICT. Thank you.
Primary Healthcare Services Regionalisation
Ms LEE to MINISTER for HEALTH
Can you update the House on federal Labor’s lack of progress towards regionalisation of primary healthcare services in the Territory?
ANSWER
I thank the member for Arnhem for her question. This government is committed to regionalisation. People at the coalface should be making decisions about their community. People on the ground should be telling us what they need and how they should have those needs addressed in their communities.
We are a government which stands very strong for regionalisation, giving people back their voices, unlike the former Labor government which had no commitment to regionalisation whatsoever.
The former federal Minister for Health, Tony Abbott, six years ago started a process of regionalisation within the Northern Territory and outside the Territory. For us, it meant sections of the Northern Territory would be given devolved management of their services; they would be allowed to operate and have a say in the health services throughout areas such as East Arnhem and the Barkly. The member for Barkly is not particularly interested in hearing about his electorate; he is not present today and that speaks volumes.
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, please refrain from referring to whether people are in or out of the House.
Mrs LAMBLEY: Sorry. Over the last six years the minister for Indigenous Health, Warren Snowdon, the member for Lingiari, has presided over this process of regionalisation and giving people back their voices. Nothing has happened, nothing at all. Minister Snowdon has gone around respective parts of the Northern Territory promising he will give health services back to communities, yet has failed to deliver. He has caused a great deal of anxiety and embarrassment to health services across the Northern Territory because, face to face, he said, ’We will give you this, we will give you that over years and years’, and has delivered nothing.
In my travels around the Northern Territory, people have asked, ‘What is going on, Robyn? What is happening, because Warren Snowdon said this, this and this?’ He has misled them. He has raised their expectations and delivered nothing in the area of regionalisation of health services in the Northern Territory. This is more evidence of how Labor has failed the people of the Northern Territory. You cannot trust federal Labor.
Frontline Worker Cuts
Ms LAWRIE to CHIEF MINISTER
Chief Minister, on Monday, the Police Association President said at a conference you had breached their trust over police numbers. Teachers are saying, despite what your minister said, they are being sacked from our schools and, with the education cuts, teachers from our schools will fail students.
Now, 73 nurses at Royal Darwin Hospital who work in the Emergency Department have signed a petition to your Health minister about the double-bunking policies which exist there, putting staff, nurses, doctors and patients at risk.
Police, teachers, nurses, and public servants are all speaking out against actions of your government. How do you defend your appalling track record of sacking teachers, creating a crisis at Royal Darwin Hospital, and hurting public servants through job cuts while you deny it all? How do you defend that?
Madam SPEAKER: Member, your time has expired.
ANSWER
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Where do you start with this, Leader of the Opposition? Police numbers: we committed 120 extra police, we have already put 20 extra in Alice Springs. At the Police Association recently I tabled when the new graduates will come through each different squad. I spoke about the additional 120 police.
In regard to nursing and double-bunking, why not look at how many beds have been taken up by asylum seekers? A total of 1400 beds will be taken up by asylum seekers this financial year. That is 1400 bed nights. You wonder why there is increased pressure on the hospital. This is another failed Territory Labor promise.
If you want to talk about education, we put more money into education this year than you did last year. Research from around the world shows if you put money into primary education it is the best place to get results.
What is the Minister for Education and our government doing? We are putting more money into primary education. In the bush, where all the kids are in primary education - there are more teachers in the bush for primary education.
You were leading with your chin with your last question to the Minister for Education about remote teachers. There are more teachers. The Minister for Education is conducting an Indigenous education review in bush areas. The last time this was done was by a former member of parliament, Bob Collins, with Learning Lessons. How well did Bob Collins go?
Ms FYLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. Will he answer the question and address nurses’ issues at Royal Darwin Hospital Emergency Department and double-bunking?
Madam SPEAKER: There is no point of order. Chief Minister, you have the call.
Mr GILES: I have answered your questions. There were 1400 beds taken up this financial year by asylum seekers. That is not the only reason, but that is happening. Do you want to talk about that? There are an extra 120 police. There is a remote Indigenous education review where we are putting more teachers into remote education through the primary years. That is a good outcome - more money into education this financial year than last financial year.
The review will reflect back on Learning Lessons by Bob Collins. Have we not learnt lessons about Bob Collins?
This is a ridiculous question. I can defend every one - more money into police, health and primary education. We are getting results while managing a $5.5bn debt.
However, I congratulate the Leader of the Opposition. Many of us do petitions from time to time. We walk in with book loads of people who have signed signatures, but the Leader of the Opposition has managed to get 75 signatures. I am not belittling the people who signed that …
Ms FYLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. Will he answer the question and address nurses’ concerns about double-bunking?
Madam SPEAKER: The Chief Minister has the call.
Mr GILES: I have answered it twice. The Leader of the Opposition has a petition with 75 signatures ...
Ms WALKER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. Answer the question. Could you also direct him to direct his answer through the Chair? This is not the comedy hour to his audience.
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, could you direct your comments through the Chair.
Mr GILES: The comedy hour sits in the member for Nhulunbuy’s seat - a very bad human being.
Madam Speaker, I have answered every one of those questions. If you want more detail, start finding out what it is all about.
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, your time has expired.
Ord Stage 3 Expansion Benefits
Mr KURRUPUWU to MINISTER for PRIMARY INDUSTRY and FISHERIES
Can you outline what potential benefit there is to the Territory from the expansion of Ord Stage 3, and what the approach of the federal Labor government has been compared to the announced policy of the Coalition on the Ord Stage 3?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Arafura for his question. He is concerned about development in the regional parts of the Northern Territory. It will affect his electorate, and also the member for Stuart’s electorate.
I was the shadow minister for some time and remember visiting the Western Australian side of the Ord. I had a fair bit to do with the people progressing that side. I was asked, ‘What is the Northern Territory government doing on its side of the border?’ I was embarrassed to say it was doing nothing. It was embarrassing to stand in front of officials from Western Australia, and Indigenous people, and say the then Labor government was doing nothing to progress the Ord.
I am proud to be part of a government that sees the potential in the Ord and the potential benefits it will bring to the Northern Territory. Within a few months of coming to government we signed an MOU with Western Australia to ensure we get on board with things they are doing to progress our side of the border.
When I was in WA, I saw jobs for Aboriginal people, small businesses starting, infrastructure being built, more health and education, all wonderful benefits for Western Australia. When the Northern Territory side comes online we will emulate those benefits for Territorians. Do you know what the great thing is? What we have been doing with the Ord dovetails perfectly into what the federal Coalition has been talking about for a long time: developing Australia’s north.
When I look at the document Tony Abbott and the Coalition produced, I see a blueprint for development of the north, including the Ord and the Northern Territory. The federal Coalition understands. By comparison, what we get from Kevin Rudd and Labor is a flimsy six-page document, nothing more than a thought bubble around, ‘Well, we better do something because Tony Abbott said he will do it. We better jump on board as well.’ Even his ministers did not know about this. Bill Shorten was on TV saying he knew nothing about it.
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. Why did it not rate a mention in your infrastructure statement yesterday? Not a word on the Ord.
Madam SPEAKER: It is not a point of order.
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE: Bill Shorten did not know about it. Penny Wong was on TV saying she would not support it. How good is federal Labor when it comes to the north? Ministers do not know what their Prime Minister is talking about. I cannot believe it.
We have a policy in the Northern Territory that dovetails beautifully with the Coalition’s document, and I am looking forward to working with my Coalition counterparts and colleagues in years to come.
Settlement Creek - Pollutants
Mr WOOD to MINISTER for MINES and ENERGY
Minister, I recently visited Wollogorang Station on the Northern Territory/Queensland border and was told by the owners that fish had died in Settlement Creek, which runs right past the station. The deaths appear to have been caused by leaching of pollutants upstream from the Redbank Copper Project.
What plans does the government have to ensure Settlement Creek is rehabilitated, and what requirements will the government put in place before the mine is reopened for business? In addition, what are the risks to cattle and other animals that drink contaminated water from Settlement Creek?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nelson for his question. Sadly, the Northern Territory is facing a legacy mining issue between $1bn and $1.5bn. Redbank is one of the worst affected legacy mines across the Northern Territory. This government recognises the importance of Redbank and the interaction it has with the environment, and of dealing with legacy mining issues across the Northern Territory.
By way of background, Redbank has been in care and maintenance since approximately 1996. Changes of ownership have occurred over time, and the current operators have a mine management plan or tenure over the property to continue their exploration.
In recognising the great significance of Redbank and the other legacy issues across the Northern Territory, this government introduced a mining levy to deal with legacy mining issues. That is how seriously we take mining legacy issues in the Northern Territory. That is something the former government did not consider doing. We are taking the whole legacy mining issue very seriously, including the Redbank mine.
In response to the member for Nelson’s specific question, I have not had any reports of fish kills in that area. Neither the Department of Primary Industry and Fisheries nor the Department of Mines and Energy have had reports of fish kills. Thank you for raising it as it is something we can look at.
In November last year, our environmental monitoring unit went to Redbank and undertook some river testing. We are working very closely with the operators to ensure the legacy issues do not become worse.
Also, when RBM Resources took over the mining lease of Redbank and paid a security bond, they were not put in the position of having to pay a security bond to cover legacy issues. That was done under the stewardship of the former government, so we have to work through many of those issues over time to have them dealt with. We recognise that Redbank is a significant issue for the Northern Territory, and we are taking it very seriously.
RDH Emergency Department –
Double-Bunking
Double-Bunking
Mr VATSKALIS to MINISTER for HEALTH
Seventy-three nurses at RDH Emergency Department are petitioning you personally to demand your policy of double-bunking stops immediately. You caused this problem with your failed alcohol policies and hijacking of the medi-hotel. Nurses advise that, after months of refusing to meet with them, you are finally meeting them today at 2 pm. They will request that you immediately stop this practice. Will you agree to the request of the nurses?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Casuarina for his question. The answer lays with you, in part, member for Casuarina. You were the former Minister for Health and presided over the problem of double-bunking for many years.
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. The Health minister was asked a direct question: when she meets with nurses this afternoon will she commit to discontinue double-bunking at the Royal Darwin Hospital Emergency Department?
Madam SPEAKER: The minister is answering the question.
Mrs LAMBLEY: The former Minister for Health created the problem, presided over the problem for many years and, 12 months into this government, it suddenly becomes our problem. Well, hello! Let us take responsibility here. Have you contacted the 73 people who signed this petition, member for Casuarina? Have you said to them, ‘I know all about it because I created it?’
Eleven years of Labor’s mismanagement …
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. The question was quite specific. There are 100 beds in the medi-hotel that would stop the double-bunking …
Madam SPEAKER: Opposition Leader, there is no point of order. You raised it before. It is not a point of order. The minister has three minutes to answer.
Mrs LAMBLEY: I am surprised at the ignorance of the opposition. When you go to the emergency department of any hospital you have an acute condition. You cannot be farmed off to a short-term accommodation centre for the heck of it. You have to stay in the hospital to be assessed, diagnosed, and treated. You are not diagnosed and do not receive treatment or any such services in a medi-hotel.
The nonsense coming from the other side of the Chamber reveals one thing …
Ms FYLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. Will the minister release the medi-hotel beds?
Madam SPEAKER: The minister is answering the question.
Mrs LAMBLEY: I have not refused to meet with anyone within the Health sector; I have never refused to do that. My door is always open; however, I have competing commitments and demands. I live in Alice Springs; I am not fully available to people in Darwin. I confess I live in a regional centre, something the former Labor government, the opposition, knows nothing about and has no respect for whatsoever.
I go back to the 73 people who have signed this petition. I will be saying to those people, ‘Yes, I acknowledge there is a serious problem at Royal Darwin Hospital, one we inherited from the former Labor government. The former Labor government did nothing, presided over it, watched it grow …
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. The medi-hotel exists with 100 beds. Will you open it up to stop double-bunking?
Madam SPEAKER: There is no point of order.
Mrs LAMBLEY: It would be negligence for any health service provider to send someone presenting at an emergency department to a short-term accommodation facility. That is nonsense. Shame on you, opposition, you do not understand what …
Ms WALKER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. The minister needs to address the question and needs to be honest about the fact the medi-hotel is not for ED people, it is to reduce bed block.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Nhulunbuy, the minister has three minutes to answer the question. Minister, continue.
Mrs LAMBLEY: The ignorance is embarrassing. I look forward to meeting any one of these people who have signed the petition. I will be explaining to them the failure of the former Labor government.
Investment Benefits to Territorians
Ms FINOCCHIARO to TREASURER
You have worked hard to attract investment to the Territory. What are some of the benefits that flow to Territorians from infrastructure and other investments? How would the election of a Coalition government boost investment in the Territory?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Drysdale for her question and for the compliment. I have to be fair; it is not just me who is looking for opportunities for investment in the Northern Territory, a range of other ministers are as well.
In relation to what I have been up to, the week before last I was in Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore talking up the Territory, talking up the benefits of investing in the Territory, and I was particularly focused on people who want to build big hotel chains around the world looking for ways they might invest. I am happy to report, following those meetings, a number of people will be coming to Darwin in the next month or so to further investigate those opportunities. That is great news.
Additionally, several months ago I was in China, which everybody knows about. Following that, a Territory business has a joint venture agreement with the world’s largest heavy machinery producer, XCMG, to set up an assembly plant in the Northern Territory. There is $60m of investment, hundreds of jobs - great stuff for the Territory.
More on my colleagues, The Chief Minister has been jet-setting around. He has been to Timor, Jakarta, Singapore and Japan. Everywhere he goes he talks up the Territory.
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. Will you visit people in Venezuela on the trip and will they …
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Karama, I warned you. You are on a warning. Recall that. Minister, you have the call.
Mr TOLLNER: The Chief Minister is doing his bit by talking up the Territory, and we are seeing direct results from his business operations overseas.
I am also pleased to report the member for Katherine, the minister for Primary Industry and Fisheries, has done a magnificent job in Indonesia, China and Vietnam. We are seeing the results of those efforts with increased live cattle exports and the like. The minister for Tourism, the member for Greatorex, has been …
Ms FYLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113. Will the minister advise when ministers plan to travel to Nhulunbuy?
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Nightcliff, you are on a warning.
Mr TOLLNER: We know the opposition refused to do anything while in government. They dropped the ball completely in the Asian Relations and Trade portfolio …
Ms WALKER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. Perhaps they could tell us when they are going to London to meet with the board of Rio Tinto to solve the Gove issues.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Nhulunbuy, it is not a point of order.
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! They are clearly, under the cover of Standing Order 113, ignoring your rulings and advice. I remind you, you tossed out the member for Fannie Bay for such utterances last week and I would ask you to bring them back to order.
Madam SPEAKER: You are out of line, member for Port Darwin. You are on a warning for trying to tell the Chair how to do her job.
Mr TOLLNER: Madam Speaker, the member for Greatorex, the Tourism minister, has been to Germany and the UK, our prime markets for tourists. He is talking up the Territory, doing what is right. We are working to increase investment opportunities.
I was also asked about the situation with the federal Labor government. As everyone knows, people in business demand certainty and consistency. What we get from federal Labor is recklessness, policy on the run, and knee-jerk reactions. This is the last thing Australia and, in particular, the Northern Territory needs. You cannot trust Labor, and business cannot trust Labor.
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired.
Mr ELFERINK (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Written Question Paper.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016